1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for automatically analysing a filled in questionnaire. The invention also relates to a digital copier incorporating such an apparatus. The invention is applicable to a questionnaire that could be for example a test or an inquiry.
2. Discussion of the Background Art
The use of a questionnaire is common in environments such as training students during education, measuring consumer needs for a marketing study, and measuring the preferences of a group of people.
A questionnaire workflow generally comprises the steps of preparing a questionnaire, distributing the questionnaire, filling in the questionnaire, collecting the filled-in questionnaire and analysing the questionnaire. This workflow can be partly on paper or can be implemented digitally. A paper questionnaire provides an easy user interface and a digital questionnaire provides the possibility of automation and fast distribution.
To date, the approach in producing educational materials for computers has been highly inefficient and expensive. Often people read, fill in and analyse questionnaires on paper, such as in education programs where questions are presented and answers are filled in. To make changes, a teacher revises multiple-choice tests on paper with pencil. This is a tedious process for the teacher: it takes a lot of his time and a lot of his concentration, which can cause feelings of frustration.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,175,841, to Loiacono, discloses a questionnaire workflow. This method and apparatus is for transforming educational materials composed of questions and answers into an on-line computer. By scanning papers of textual and/or graphical material sometimes containing pencil lines, computer readable images are created. The captured images are modified by the application of answer formats, examples of that include underlining, highlighting, and circling a correct answer. The modified captured images are stored for distribution to users. Answer formats are automatically applied to the questions thus allowing them to be answered in a computer interactive form. A disadvantage of such a system, however, is that it requires a difficult and time consuming configuration process in preparing an on-line interactive questionnaire.
Another example of such a method and system is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,101 to Larson and Faul. This method and system is for interactively creating forms, including displaying the forms during creation and interpreting completed forms received via a facsimile device. The system includes the following features: automated reminder, automated data export, suspense processing and automated confirmation. A disadvantage of such a system, however, is also that it requires a difficult and time consuming configuration process in preparing an on-line interactive form.
That is, a major drawback of the background art for automatically analysing a filled in paper questionnaire is that it requires a difficult and time consuming configuration process in the preparation of the automatic analysing process for filled in paper questionnaires.